Container



L. l. YEOMANS Jan. 7, 1936.

CONTAINER Filed Aug. 17, 1932 13 00 @rll 07" La c. be m T. Yco rwa ms, 4 M @A we Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

The invention pertains to containers used for packing food products, and particularly such products as cheese, coffee and the like which are commonly packed in tin cans by a vacuum process.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a practical valve device for cans and other containers adapted to facilitate the vacuum packing process by permitting the withdrawal of air from the sealed container, as well as to permit the escape of any excess gas which may accumulate in the filled container when stored for any substantial period of time, thus avoiding distortion or destruction of the container.

A further object, is to provide a practical valve device of the character indicated which is capable of permitting the escape of excess pressure and at the same time sealing the container against admission of air.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and ancillary advantages, are attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of a tin can, the cover of which is equipped with a valve device constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a disk.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated, the valve device is incorporated in one end wall 3 of a tin can having the usual cylindrical body 4. The end wall may be fastened in any suitable or preferred manner to the upper end of the body 4, being herein shown as Joined thereto by a seam 5.

As illustrated, the valve device comprises a chamber 6 enclosing a valve 1 for controlling the passage of air or gas through a port 8 communicating with the interior of the container. The chamber 6 is formed externally of the con tainer by means of a disk 9 fitting into a central annular depression I in the end wall 3 and having a small port 9 centrally thereof. Said depression I 0 has a bottom plate ll constituting the inner wall of the valve chamber, and the disk 9 has a concave inner surface and forms the outer wall of the valve chamber.

The valve '1 comprises a closure member, herein in the form of a sealing disk I 2, and a su port for the disk which may be in the form of a radial arm or tongue 13. The disk is preferably made of a yielding material such as valve supporting cork, which may be glued to the underside of the tongue l3; and the tongue is formed centrally of a fiat metallic disk I 4 by cutting an arcuate slot l5 therein. 7

The bottom plate ll of the valve chamber is 5 ofiset inwardly in its central portion to form a circular cavity or recess it, such recess being of a depth somewhat less than the thickness of the valve disk l2; and at the center of this recess i6 is the port 8 controlled by the valve disk. 10 The latter is made of a diameter substantially greater than the port 8 and preferably has a suitable metallic facing I! on its underside to insure a smooth, durable, non-adherent seating surface.

The disk 9 forming the top wall of the valve chamber is made of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the valve supporting disk 84, and the parts are secured in position by means of an inwardly overhanging annular bead I8 formed at the edge of the depression ID.

This bead l8, it will be seen, coacts with the edge of the bottom plate ii to form an annular groove for receiving the peripheral edge of the disk 9. The peripheral edge of the disk M in turn is clamped by the disk 9 against the bottom plate ii.

In practice, the can is filled through one end before application of the end wall thereto. For example, the contents may be introduced through the bottom of the can after which the bottom wall may be secured in position by means of an air-tight seam. An air exhausting device of a suitable character is then applied to the end wall 3 around the valve device, and the air within the can removed. In this operation the reduced pressure produced on the outer side of the valve chamber by the exhausting device is transmitted through the small port 9 in the plate 9, causing the valve member l2 to move upwardly as permitted by the yielding character of thetongue l3. Upon removal of the air exhausting device, the valve member is held to its seat by atmospheric pressure. In the event that a gas is given oii by the contents of the can, so that pressure builds up within the can to a degree such as to exceed the external atmospheric pressure, the valve will open sufflciently to permit the escape of such excess pressure and thus prevent injury to the can through rupture or distortion.

It will be observed that I have produced a valve device which is of a very practical character. Of primary importance is the arrangement of the valve member externally of the can so that by reducing the pressure within the can, the valve member is held firmly to its seat by atmospheric pressure. At the same time, the building up of an injurious or destructive pressure within the can is effectually prevented and the operation of exhausting the air initially is greatly facilitated as compared with the prior practice of seaming the top of the can in place under a vacuum. Thus the valve is certain and dependable in operation, and by reason of the construction employed may be produced at a low cost.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container having a first depression formed in one wall thereof with a second depression of smaller diameter formed centrally in the bottom of the first depression, the bottom of the second depression having a port therein communicating with the interior of the container, an annular member seated on the bottom wall of the first depression and having a central tongue extending over said port, a valve member car ried by said tongue and positioned in said second depression for controlling the passage of air or gas through said port, a disk holding said annular member in place, and an annular bead in the wall of the container for clamping said disk in place.

2. A container .having a first depression formed in one wall thereof with a second depression of smaller diameter formed centrally in the bottom of the first depression, the bottom of the second depression having a port therein communicating with the interior of the container, an annular-valve-supporting member seated on the bottom of the first depression and extending over said port, a valve member for controlling said port carried by said supporting member and positioned in said second depression and of slightly greater thickness than the depth of said second depression, and means for clamping the periphery of said supporting member against the bottom of said first depression.

3. A container having a shallow depression in one wall thereof with a recess formed in the bottom of said depression and having a port communicating with the interior of the container, a valve member in said recess overlying said port, and means secured on the bottom of said depression including a disk having a radial supporting member for said valve member, said valve member being secln'ed to the inner side of said supporting member and being of a. thickness slightly in excess of the depth of said recess.

4. A container having a depression formed in one wall thereof with a circular recess formed 5. A container having a depression formed in one wall thereof with a circular recess formed centrally of the depression and having a port communicatingwith the interior of the container, a fiat disk having its peripheral edge portion seated in said depression and having a central yieldable portion overlying said recess, a valve member on said central yieldable portion within said recess and adapted to close said port, and means for securing the peripheral edge portion of said disk in said depression comprising a circular plate fitting in the depression and having a central portion spaced from the disk to permit movement of the valve carrying portion thereof, said plate having an opening to the atmosphere.

6. A container having a metallic wall including a small port, a yieldable valve member seated over said port at the exterior of the wall and providing an air tight seal against the entrance of air into the container when there is a vacuum condition therein but allowing the escape of air when the pressure within the container becomes greater than the surrounding atmospheric' pressure, a support member yieldingly carrying said valve member and contacting said wall, and an enclosure element enclosing said valve member in spaced relation to permit move ment of the latter and bearing against said supsaid metallic wall, means for yieldably holding said valve member in place, and a cover member cooperating with said means to retain the same in position and enclosing said valve member but spaced from the latter to permit its movement away from said port. I

LUCIEN I. YEOMANS. 

